Colorado soldier dies from enemy fire in Iraq

DENVER (AP) — A 20-year-old soldier from Parlin in southwest Colorado has died of wounds he suffered from enemy fire in Iraq.

The Defense Department said Specialist Alun R. Howells died Monday in Baghdad.

He was assigned to the First Battalion, 64th Armor Regiment, Second Brigade Combat Team, Third Infantry Division at Fort Stewart, Georgia.

Parlin is 12 miles east of Gunnison and 120 miles southwest of Denver.

ONLINE NOW! G-TV

Out There reporter Dave Philipps discusses tomorrow's story on mountainboarding pioneer Jason Lee who founded the sport's first and largest mountainboarding company, MBS, based in Colorado Springs. Since then, Lee has won the national championship five times and become one of the true ambassadors of the sport, drawing crowds by pulling stunts such as a 22-foot backflip over a pit of alligators.

Live broadcasts from The Gazette newsroom are available Monday through Friday on KOAA's "News First Now" broadcast, on Comcast Channel 9 and will also be available online at gazette.com.

COMING IN TOMORROW'S GAZETTE

The Black Forest Festival, a decades-old event celebrating the character of the community, returns Saturday with music, a parade, games and food. The festival, expected to draw 3,000 to 4,000 people, is organized by the Black Forest Community Club. The day kicks off at 6:30 a.m. with a pancake breakfast at the club, at the corner of Shoup and Black Forest roads.

A proposed charter school wants permission to apply to the state Charter School Institute as well as Colorado Springs School District 11. Ray Wallander, representing Patricia Miranda Charter Academy, told D-11 board members Wednesday night that charter school organizers have not decided whether they will apply only to the state, only to D-11 or to both, but want options.

A funeral home owner accused of bilking her elderly clients is behind bars. Neva Nolan, 70, turned herself in at the El Paso County jail at 8 p.m. Wednesday. The owner of Nolan Funeral Home faces 90 criminal charges, including 25 theft counts and eight counts of abuse of a corpse.

If you’re wanted by the law or are on a terrorist watch list, Peterson Air Force Base is gunning for you. The base’s eight pistol-gripped Defense ID scanners are designed to check records associated with military identity cards or driver’s licenses by scanning bar codes or reading magnetic strips. Everyone who comes through the base’s three entry gates will get checked.

For Danelle Ballengee, a four-time Pikes Peak Marathon winner, the middle of the mountain is her favorite. In some sense, that’s where Ballengee is now, nine months after an accident that nearly killed her. Ballengee will speak at Saturday’s pre-Marathon dinner in Manitou Springs’ Mansions Park, behind City Hall. The Ascent, a half-marathon, will take place Saturday and the Marathon is Sunday.

A small golf course on Colorado Springs’ south side and the city’s only winery will close next year when the historic piece of property on which they operate is transformed into an office and industrial park. About 110 acres, home to the nine-hole Vineyard Golf Course and the Pikes Peak Vineyards, is being purchased by a partnership that plans to develop the Vineyard Commerce Park.

Will Temby is leaving his post as chief executive officer of the Greater Colorado Springs Chamber of Commerce. Temby, 49, will step down at the end of the month to join the University of Colorado system, assisting with major initiatives on the Boulder and Colorado Springs campuses. Dave Csintyan, president of the chamber’s business affairs division, was named interim CEO.

HAPPENING TONIGHT

“DO DOWNTOWN AND GIVE A NEW BORN HOPE”: 5-8 p.m., Downtown retailers and eateries, featuring live models in windows, special tastings and menus, 10 percent of purchases benefit Newborn Hope; www.newbornhope.org or Nancy Ruppert, 579-8785.

“MOONLIGHT ON THE MOUNTAIN”: Food, fun and libation with animal encounters for ages 21 and older only, 5:30 p.m. Colorado Springs Young Professional reception, event 6-9 p.m., Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, 4250 Cheyenne Mountain Zoo road. Proceeds benefit the zoo’s animalconservation program, $25 in advance or $30 at the gate; www.cmzoo.org.

“ANTONIO’S REVENGE”: By Theatre-Works, 7:30 p.m. Aug. 16, 18, 22, 25, 30 and Sept. 1, 4 p.m. Aug. 19, Dusty Loo Bon Vivant Theater, University Hall, 3955 Cragwood Drive, $22-$25; 262-3232.

HAMLET MACHINE: A postmodern meditation on Hamlet, 8 p.m. Aug. 16-18 and Aug. 23-25, STUDIO 802, 802 N. Weber St., $10; 634-5429.

THE PROCUSSIONS: 8:30 p.m., Black Sheep, 2106 E. Platte Ave., $10; www.ticketweb.com.

SPORTS TONIGHT

The Colorado Rockies continue their important series at San Diego at 8 p.m. on FSN (850 AM).

The Colorado Springs Sky Sox host Las Vegas in a doubleheader at 4:30 p.m. on 1460 AM.

There is an NFL exhibition game with Miami at Kansas City at 6 on ESPN. The Giants are at the Braves at 5:30 on TBS.

The Western & Southern Financial Group Masters tennis tournament is on ESPN2 at 5 p.m.

The Pikes Peak Hill Climb taped show is on Altitude at 8 p.m.